🗞️ Why in News The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) released comprehensive guidelines on 21 September 2026 for the planning and design of high-speed access-controlled National Highways, other than Expressways. They will apply to all upcoming 4-lane and 6-lane greenfield and brownfield corridors, in line with the target of 50,000 km of access-controlled high-speed corridors under Viksit Bharat 2047.
Why the Guidelines Were Needed
Until now there were no separate standards for access-controlled National Highways that are not Expressways, and the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for such corridors followed varying standards. The guidelines give one uniform set of technical and safety provisions, meant to improve road safety, operational efficiency and consistency across the network.
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Target for high-speed corridors | 50,000 km under Viksit Bharat 2047 (the Indian Express reports the target date as 2036-37) |
| High-speed corridors built by December 2025 | 3,052 km (Indian Express) |
What the Guidelines Say
Lane configuration follows traffic. Traffic is assessed on existing, generated, induced and diverted flows, validated with toll and other data.
| Present traffic (PCU) | Configuration | Right of way |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 15,000 | 4-lane highway, 4-lane structures | 60 metres |
| 15,000 to 25,000 | 4-lane highway, 6-lane structures | 70 metres |
| 25,000 to 40,000 | 6-lane highway, 6-lane structures | 70 metres |
Traffic is counted in passenger car units (PCU), a standard that converts different vehicles into car equivalents.
Access control.
- No at-grade intersection of any road with the corridor; entry and exit only through designed ramps and interchanges.
- Interchanges at crossings with Expressways, National Highways, State Highways and important roads, and for connectivity to ports, airports, Multi-Modal Logistics Parks, industrial areas and major tourist destinations.
- A 1-metre-high boundary wall (reinforced cement concrete) along the outer edge of the right of way, against encroachment, unauthorised access and stray cattle.
Safety and design details (as reported by the Indian Express):
| Feature | Standard |
|---|---|
| Overhead gantries with direction signs | 5 km and 2 km before an exit |
| Cantilever gantries with advance signs | 1 km and 500 m before an exit |
| Lane markings / edge-lane markings | 150 mm / 200 mm wide |
| Underpass height where heavy farm machinery operates | 4.5 metres may be considered |
| Service roads | Both sides in built-up and urban sections, with drain-cum-footpath |
| Tolling | Provision for multi-lane free flow (MLFF), barrier-less tolling |
| Median | Drip irrigation for plantation, which is part of design from the DPR stage |
Background: India’s Highway Build-Out
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Access-controlled highway | Vehicles can enter or leave only at designated interchanges; no direct access from adjoining land or cross roads |
| Expressway | The highest class of access-controlled road, with its own design standards |
| Greenfield | Built on a new alignment |
| Brownfield | Upgrading or widening an existing road |
| MLFF tolling | Barrier-less tolling using FASTag and number-plate recognition cameras, so vehicles do not stop |
Institutions. National Highways are declared under the National Highways Act, 1956 and are a Union subject. NHAI was set up under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988 and works under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Road design standards in India are largely set by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC).
The policy frame. The guidelines sit alongside Bharatmala Pariyojana (Phase I approved in 2017), the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (2021) for integrated infrastructure planning, and the National Logistics Policy (2022), which aims to cut logistics costs.
Why It Matters
Logistics costs and speed. Access-controlled corridors let long-distance freight move at the speed of the highway, not of local traffic, which cuts travel time and fuel use and supports the aim of lowering logistics costs.
Road safety. At-grade intersections, stray animals and unplanned access points are major causes of crashes on Indian highways. Grade separation, boundary walls and advance exit signage target exactly these risks.
Standardisation. One set of standards for DPRs reduces design variation, disputes and cost overruns, and makes corridors easier to operate and toll.
The concerns. Wider rights of way mean more land acquisition; boundary walls can cut villages off from their fields unless underpasses are well placed, which is why the 4.5-metre underpass height for farm machinery matters; and toll-based corridors need traffic forecasts that are realistic.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 3. Infrastructure: roads; investment models; logistics.
A question worth preparing. Access-controlled high-speed corridors can transform freight movement and road safety in India. Discuss their benefits and the challenges in building them. (250 words)
The Mains framing. Define access control and distinguish high-speed corridors from ordinary highways and Expressways. Benefits: logistics cost and time, safety, standardisation, MLFF tolling. Challenges: land acquisition, severance of rural communities, cost and financing, realistic traffic forecasts. Link to Bharatmala, PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy, and conclude with the need for community-sensitive design.
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
Prelims, statement-ready facts:
- NHAI issued guidelines for high-speed access-controlled National Highways (other than Expressways) on 21 September 2026.
- They apply to upcoming 4-lane and 6-lane, greenfield and brownfield corridors.
- Target: 50,000 km of access-controlled high-speed corridors under Viksit Bharat 2047.
- Right of way: 60 m for traffic up to 15,000 PCU; 70 m for 15,000 to 40,000 PCU.
- No at-grade intersections; access only through ramps and interchanges.
- A 1-metre boundary wall along the right of way keeps out encroachment and stray cattle.
- Guidelines provide for multi-lane free flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling.
- NHAI was constituted under the NHAI Act, 1988; National Highways are declared under the NH Act, 1956.
Prelims, the traps:
- These guidelines cover high-speed National Highways other than Expressways, which have separate standards.
- National Highways are a Union subject; State Highways belong to the States.
- PCU (passenger car unit) is a traffic unit, not a count of cars alone.
Mains, arguments and keywords:
- Access control separates long-distance traffic from local traffic, improving speed and safety.
- Uniform DPR standards reduce design variation and cost overruns.
- Keywords: access control, grade separation, right of way, PCU, MLFF, Gati Shakti, logistics cost.
Interview, be ready for:
- “Do boundary-walled highways divide villages?” They can, so underpasses sized for farm machinery and service roads must be designed in from the start.
Source: NHAI Sets Uniform Standards for High-Speed Access-Controlled National Highways — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
